Archive for the ‘Fitness’ Category

There are tons of articles telling you to exercise first thing in the morning, teaching you how to become a morning person, etc. None of those tips or arguments have ever worked for me personally. Ever since I started being more physically active, I’ve always prefered to exercise in the afternoon or at night.

Here are a few reasons why I’d rather workout at night.

Job schedule

I need to be at the office before 8 am, the earlier the better. Some of my co-workers even arrive at 6 am! That means I usually leave the house between 7:00 to 7:15 am. So in order to squeeze in a workout before that, I’d have to get up very, very early. On the other hand, thanks to my work schedule, I normally get to leave the office before 5 pm, which gives me plenty of time to hit the gym or go for a run in the summer months.

More energy at night

Some people happily jump out of bed full of energy at 5 am, way before the sun is up. I’m not one of them. I’ve always been a night owl. I have way more energy at night than in the morning. My co-workers know by now that they’d better not talk to me before 8 am, as my brain is just not functioning properly before that. Same is true for my body. Sometimes I feel like I’m moving in slow-motion.

After work stress release

While my job is usually not that stressful, I do have bad days once in a while. A quick jog or bike ride, a calm pilates or yoga class, or a cheerful Zumba class are the best way I can think of to instantly boost my mood and balance out my stress levels.

First work than play

I probably have to thank my grandma for that attitude. For me personally, exercise is play! It’s fun, it’s ‘me time’, and I just enjoy doing something healthy for my body and soul. Working out even feels like a reward sometimes, not a chore.

Go all out

Exercising after work also means that I can use up all my energy. I can totally exhaust myself, because all I need to do after my workout is taking a shower, grabbing dinner or a late night snack, and relax on the couch. To me, that sounds so much better than a full day of work at the office.

In the end, it totally doesn’t matter when or how you exercise, as long as you regularly move your body, preferably in a way that you enjoy.

When I started this blog three years ago (yikes!) most of my posts were about running. Since then, my fitness focus has changed a lot.

Group fitness classes have become my favorite kind of exercise. Here are a few reasons why I love them so much.

– No need to count reps

I don’t know why, but I simply hate counting reps! This is probably why I could never stick to a strength training routine. The thought of doing 10 exercises for 15 reps and a total of 3 sets makes my brain hurt. At a group fitness class, I just do as many reps as the instructor tells me. That makes me very happy.

– Switch off your brain

Well, not completely, of course. I usually hit the gym after a long, draining work day, and I don’t have enough brain power left to think about what kind of exercise I want or should do. Classes offer a pre-designed training program, and if I like it, I’ll come again, if I don’t, I’ll simply try a different class or instructor.

– Social interactions

Don’t get me wrong, my co-workers are a funny and entertaining bunch, but they are all male. My friends are all busy and live in different cities, so I usually don’t see them during the week. My husband also travels a lot because of his job, and being home alone is just not fun. I really enjoy spending some time with the ladies at the gym, even if we don’t talk much (I’m shy!), at least we are sweating together. Is that gross?

– Additional motivation

I’ve also realized that I work a lot harder in group fitness classes. When I exercise by myself, I might be tempted to cut my workout short, skip reps, etc. That rarely happens in class. If the instructor tells me to do ‘just 8 more reps’, I’ll give all I have to finish that set.

– Automatic variety

I get bored easily and love trying new things. Our instructors make sure to provide variety, either by using different props (resistance bands, stability balls, drum sticks, etc.), or by introducing new moves. And if that’s not enough, I can also try a completely new class, as there are plenty to choose from.

– Time flies when you’re having fun

Especially our Zumba class is like a big party, and also the other classes are so much fun that those 60 minutes feel a lot shorter. Imagine running on a treadmill or lifting weights for 60 minutes! At least for me, that would feel like an eternity.

Do you like group fitness classes, too? Or do you prefer to workout by yourself?

Quite a while ago, I wrote about quitting the gym. I still believe that this was the right thing to do for me, as I just didn’t like that particular place.

A few months later, I posted about my internal struggles about joining a new gym. I was hesitant. Would I like that place? Would I be able to afford the monthly fees?

And then in August, after weighing pros and cons, crunching numbers back and forth, I finally signed up! I got a standard two-year contract, which costs me about $80 (60 Euro) per month. That’s quite a lot of money, but I decided that I’m worth it. Home workouts are convenient, but there’s just too much distraction and too much to do.

After a few months as a member I can honestly say that I like my new gym. It’s rather small and cosy, but offers a decent variety of classes, the trainers and instructors are very nice, and some of them even remember my face and name already.

What I love the most about my new gym is the free hot shower (just kidding, but I do appreciate a back-up option in case the hot water in our house breaks again) and the group fitness classes. I really like the social aspect and tend to work a lot harder when there’s an instructor yelling ‘one more set!’.

I plan to write separate posts about the different classes I’ve tried so far and what I liked and disliked about them.

There are a few tiny drawbacks, though. While the gym is very close to my workplace, it’s still a 30 minute drive to our house, so I only go there during the week, from Monday to Thursday. Usually, I can squeeze in about two or three sessions per week. I’d love to go more often, but it’s hard to find the time, considering my already busy schedule. If I could, I’d workout everyday, but who has time for that?

Some of you might remember that I quit my gym back in January. I had grand plans to workout at home, go for a few runs around my village, attend my weekly Pilates class, etc. In reality, not much of that happened. I could list many excuses: I’ve been extremely busy working at several projects, the weather has been awful, I got sick, my Pilates trainer got sick, and so on and so forth.

Honestly, I’ve been missing the convenience of heading to the gym right after work, before I even get close to my house. I’ve noticed that it’s so hard for me to find the motivation to exercise once my butt has touched the couch. Or I see the pile of dirty dishes in my sink. It’s almost impossible!

So, why don’t I just join a new gym? Mostly it’s because of the cost. Gyms are generally quite expensive around here. Sure, you can find gyms that are only $30 per month, but they are just like my last one: no classes, no trainers, old equipment, no air condition, and you even have to pay extra to take a shower. A membership at a decent gym costs about $80 per month. And that’s for a 24 month contract, plus $130 entry fee. Yikes!

And here’s the next problem. Most gyms only offer long-term contracts. Sure, you can also get a 12 month contract, but then your monthly fee will go up to $90. Including the entry fee, that will cost me around $1200 in one year. That is a lot!

At the moment, our financial situation is quite okay, but that could change within just a few months. I have no idea if I will still be able to afford a gym membership at the end of the year.

I’ve already found a gym that looks really nice, offers interesting group fitness classes, is situated close to my workplace, and even has a sauna area. How fancy! But it’s also quite expensive.

I don’t know what to do! I hate the idea of spending so much money, but I also miss working out and feeling strong. And I know that exercising at home is harder for me because there are too many distractions.

Do you prefer working out at home or at the gym? How much would you spent on a gym membership?

A few months ago, my husband had the glorious idea to take horseback riding lessons. With me, of course. At first I was hesitant, as usual. I’m a short woman, and horses are big and strong! But after a while he convinced me to just give it a try.

We quickly found a nice option for Western-style riding and booked our first lessons with our instructor Véronique. To be honest, I was overwhelmed at the beginning. Riding isn’t as easy as it looks on TV! You first learn how to approach a horse, how to put on the headgear and saddle, how to get up and down, how to tell the horse what to do, and most importantly, how to not fall off! At first, I was really struggling to process so much information, but now after a few intense sessions I’m slowly starting to feel comfortable on a horse.

So, does horseback riding count as exercise? I’d say yes, it does! You need to engage your core muscles all the time to keep your balance, and you’re using your legs a lot. After trotting around in the riding hall for about an hour, I’m always sore in new and unexpected parts of my body, like on the outsides of my ankles, or the area between my butt and my thighs. Eh!?

What’s also great about riding is that you don’t need to buy a lot of equipment. I usually wear an old pair of jeans, an old sweater, a warm winter jacket, and my hiking boots. (Plus a few extra layers underneath. German winters are COLD!) The only thing I bought was a helmet. The lessons themselves aren’t that expensive, either, I’d say they cost about as much as an average yoga class. And considering that we spend about two full hours there, including preparing and grooming the horses (which is actually a lot of fun, too), you get a lot of bang for your buck.

I love all kinds of animals, but I didn’t expect to enjoy being around horses so much. The horse I’ve been riding the last few lessons is a beautiful brown guy named Sugar. He’s very calm and friendly, but a little lazy and stubborn sometimes. And hungry! But our instructor said that’s normal.

I think I’ve found a new hobby. And some new four-legged friends! I can’t wait to go for a real ride outside of the hall. Okay, I’m also a little scared, but mostly excited.

Bonus: There’s a cheeky kitten roaming around the stables! That little guy likes to sneak up from behind and climb up people’s legs. Those tiny claws don’t go through my thick layers, so it doesn’t hurt at all. We usually snuggle for a few minutes after the lessons, while I comb down my horse. That much cuteness is too hard to handle!

So what’s the bottom line of this post? Try something new! Get over your fears and doubts, and do something unusual from time to time. Who knows, you might even like it!

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with gyms. In the past few years I’ve tried, joined, and quit a few ones. None of them could convince me to stay.

About two years ago I joined my current gym. I had just started running and mostly wanted access to their treadmills, so I could still run during the harsh, long German winters. As our financial situation has always been quite ‘unpredictable’, I chose the cheapest gym I could find, which cost about $30 per month. Most other gyms in my area cost up to $90 per month, so I thought it was a pretty good deal, and signed a standard 24 months contract.

That gym is very close to my work place, but a 30 minute drive from my house, so I only went there during the week after leaving my office. At first I liked working out there. It was warm, dry, and safe.

But after a few months, some things started to bug me. Like the fact that you have to pay extra for a shower. Or that there are no trainers that care about you. Or that the treadmill TVs have no sound, no remote control, and are often not working at all. Or that there are no fitness classes. Or that it’s crowded with huge muscle heads and skinny Barbie dolls. Or that there is no AC, so the temperatures are unbearable during the summer months.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. I didn’t enjoy going to the gym anymore. I hate wasting money on something that I don’t like, even if it’s just a relatively small amount. So I decided to end my contract, which was actually quite easy. My membership ends in January, so I still have the opportunity to go a few more times if I really want to. And I probably will. I’m still paying the fees, after all!

But there are other activities that I enjoy a lot more! My tiny village has an adult education facility (Volkshochschule in German), which offers a decent variety of fitness classes. I didn’t like the yoga class I took two years ago, but I totally love their Zumba and Pilates classes! As you pay for each class individually, the costs quickly add up, but I’ve decided that they are worth it.

I also still love workout videos, either online or on DVDs. My favorite fitness channel on YouTube is Blogilates. I highly recommend it! Those workouts are actually quite challenging!

And guess what, my husband has started running! He’s always been a very fit guy, but running was never his thing, and he prefered biking and weight training. But a few months ago he picked up running, and is now constantly asking me to run with him.

I’m also considering getting a bike trainer, as a Christmas present for myself, so that I can stay in shape for our outdoor bike rides on sunny summer Sundays.

See, you don’t really need a gym to workout! That said, I might change my mind again one day, and join another gym. But next time I’ll be way more selective, and make sure I’ll find one that I really, really love.

It’s been crazy hot here lately (well, hot for Central Europe, of course), way too hot to run, bike, or hit the gym on some days. So I stepped out of my comfort zone, put on my swimsuit, and went to the pool. As usual, things are a little different in Germany. Most gyms around here don’t have pools. Instead, there are many public pools, that are run by the local authorities. One tiny little problem is that almost all indoor pools are only open in winter, and most outdoor pools are only open during the summer months. German summers can be quite rainy and chilly, but at the moment we are ‘blessed’ with a real heat wave. After a long day in my oven-like office, I’m really looking forward to jumping (ok, slowly walking) into the cool water.

I have to admit, though, that I’m a terrible swimmer. I can only do a poor, slow breast stroke. But I do hope that I will learn how to perform a proper free style stroke one day. Until then, I’ll just paddle around, enjoying a seemingly sweat-free workout.